Anthropometric measurements are important in a wide range of areas, from athlete selection to performance analysis and medical exercise applications. With its portable and cost-effective structure, Microsoft Kinect offers significant advantages in measuring human movements and provides valuable data in the fields of sports science and medicine. The aim of this study is to compare certain anthropometric measurements of adolescent female weightlifters in the U-15 age category with Kinect V2 and traditional methods. Twelve athletes who won medals in international weightlifting championships were included in the study. Anthropometric evaluations of each athlete were performed using Kinect V2 and the traditional method. Differences between measurements were analyzed with Bland–Altman plots and Pearson correlation coefficients. Kinect was found to exhibit less variability and higher coherency in measurements of humerus, forearm, trochanter-tibiale laterale, tibial lengths, and shoulder width. It has been observed that the traditional method provides more coherence results in hand length measurements. Kinect was found to exhibit less variability and higher coherency in measurements of forearm, trochanter-tibiale laterale, tibial lengths, and shoulder width, indicating its potential as a reliable tool for these parameters. Notably, Kinect demonstrated high reliability for tibial length (ICC 0.918) and moderate reliability for trochanter-tibiale laterale (ICC 0.737), showing its effectiveness in these measurements. Additionally, Kinect exhibited lower variation and higher coherency in most measurements compared to manual methods, supporting its consistency and repeatability in anthropometric assessments. These results indicate that Kinect may be a suitable tool for some measurements but that traditional methods may be preferable for hand length measurements. These findings suggest that Kinect can be used effectively for certain anthropometric measurements in sports and medical science. Graphical Abstract

Background and Study Aim: Handgrip strength is widely accepted as a functionality parameter to assess upper extremity performance. The measurement of hand grip strength by dynamometry is a low cost, non-invasive method of simple applicability. The present study is based on the association of dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength with demographic and anthropometric characteristics; height, body weight, body mass index, upper arm length, forearm length, hand length, forearm circumference, upper arm circumference. Material and Methods: The study included 70 male athletes in olympic style weightlifting (age: 18.06±2.18, height:1.74±.06 m, body weight: 76.09±13.04 kg). A total of 70 sedentary individuals as a control group (age 18.11±.18, height:1.75±.04 m, body weight: 74.01±13.94 kg) were also taken to compare study findings. The data obtained was analyzed by SPPS for Windows, version 25. Handgrip strength measurements were obtained by a Jamar dynamometer, according to the recommendations of the American Association of Hand Therapists. Results: It was found that the values of dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength, upper arm circumference and forearm circumference length of the weightlifting athletes were higher than those of sedentary individuals (p<.001). No asymmetry was observed in dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength values of the athletes and sedentary individuals. The correlations were noted between dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength values of weightlifting athletes and demographic characteristics, some anthropometric characteristics of upper extremity and weightlifting performance. Conclusion: The variability of handgrip strength might largely be explained by some anthropometric characteristics of upper extremity.

Within the sporting scope, the relative age effects refer to the possible advantages of participation and performance of athletes born in the first months of the year of selection in relation to others within the same age groups. The aim of this study was to investigate the relative age effects by comparing athletes in different body weight categories in the Under 15 (U-15) and youth age group athletes (males and females) in weightlifting. By using retrospective competition data from the Turkish Weightlifting Federation database, a total of 954 Olympic-style weightlifters (U15 and Youth age groups), 605 males and 349 females), who competed in the Turkish Weightlifting Championships between 2018 and 2019, were included in this study. The data on the birthdates of the athletes were divided into four quarters. The athletes were divided into three subset weight classes. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test. In males, the relative age effects were determined in lightweight athletes in the under 15 age group (χ²(3)= 10.00, p< .05), in lightweight athletes in the youth age group (χ²(3)= 10.83, p< .05), in middleweight category (χ²(3)= 14.09, p< .01) and heavyweight category (χ²(3)= 12.96, p< .01). However, relative age effects were not present in the female under 15 age group (p>.05). It can be stated that weightlifting athletes, under 15 age and youth age groups (except youth females), born in the first quarter of the year have a higher chance of success in athletic performance.

Background and Study Aim: Handgrip strength is widely used as a functionality parameter of the upper extremity and general health. The measurement of handgrip strength by dynamometry is a low cost, noninvasive method of simple applicability. The study aims to find out handgrip strength and its correlation with some anthropometric characteristics of the upper extremity and weightlifting performance of elite (international medalists) and sub-elite (national medalists) Olympic style weightlifting athletes. Material and Methods: We obtained anthropometric measurements of upper extremity of elite athletes (n=25 male, n= 20 female) and sub-elite athletes (n=25 male, n=29 female) in the study. Dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength measurements of the groups were obtained by a Jamar dynamometer, according to the recommendations of the American Association of Hand Therapists. Results:No statistically significant difference was observed in non-dominant handgrip strength of male elite and sub-elite weightlifting athletes. Similarly, no significant difference was observed in between some anthropometric characteristics of upper extremity and dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength of female elite and sub-elite weightlifting athletes. We didn’t find any asymmetry between dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength of study groups. We found a significant correlation between dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength of male and female elite athletes and their height, body weight, BMI and weightlifting performance. Conclusions: Consequently, we might explain that adding special exercises into the general trainings of athletes to develop handgrip strength might contribute to the weightlifting performance of the athletes.

OBJECTIVE: To find out the quadriceps femoris angle (Q-angle) values of elite and non-elite athletes in Olympic style weightlifting. METHODS: This study included 22 male elite athletes that won medals in international Olympic style weightlifting championships and 22 male non-elite athletes who won medals in national Olympic style weightlifting championships. A goniometer was used to determine the angle of the quadriceps femoris muscle while the athletes were in supine position and the muscle was inactivated. Anthropometric measurements of right-left thigh and lower leg length, right-left thigh and calf girth, and pelvic width of athletes were obtained. One repetition maximum of snatch, clean and jerk and leg strength of the athletes was recorded. To study demographic characteristics and some anthropometric values of lower extremity of the athletes, t-Test was conducted for independent groups. To compare anthropometric measurements of right-left lower extremity and right-left Q-angle values, paired sample t-Test was used. Right-left Q-angle values and relations among other variables were studied by Pearson correlation analysis. SPSS was used for all analyses. RESULTS: Mean age was 19.73±2.97 years and 18.73±1.55 years for of elite and non-elite athletes respectively. No significant difference was observed in demographic characteristics and in some anthropometric values of lower extremity of elite and non-elite athletes (p>0.05). However, right-left Q-angle values of non-elite athletes (10.14±1.55o and 10.14±1.52o, respectively) were higher than the right-left Q-angle values of elite athletes (8.32±1.39o and 8.32±1.32o, respectively) [p<0.003]. CONCLUSIONS: Olympic style weightlifting, which is maintained in elite level, affects the quadriceps femoris angle.